Result: North Carolina Open Quail Championship

Location: Hoffman, North Carolina

Post Date: Mar 29, 2019

Submitted By: Larry Cox

The Winners. In foreground from left: Erin's Full Throttle with Mike Hester, K H Game Train with Ruth Morton. Second row from left: Lefty Henry, Judges Derek Bonner and Chad Adams. Behind: Larry Cox, and Larry McDonald.
HOFFMAN, N. C. -- The North Carolina Open Quail Championship held its annual trial at Hoffman on March 18-19. Weather ranged from the thirties to the low seventies, with no rain for a change.

Many thanks to Purina for their generous support.

Quail were not plentiful but enough for a trial, moving six or seven coveys a day.

We were fortunate enough to have our judges return from last year, Chad Adams and Derek Bonner, both from North Carolina. They campaign their own dogs successfully and know what an all-age dog is. They were attentive to every dog in the trial.

THE WINNERS AND OTHERS

We had a repeat winner with eight- year-old white and liver pointer male Erin's Full Throttle handled by Lefty Henry and owned by John and Sue Ivester of Huntersville, N. C.

Throttle was last year's winner, locating game twice in 2018. This year he won with one stylish find on course No. 5 in the Bear Trap area. He was always to the far front. Mike Hester scouted the winner.

Runner-up was K H Game Train, a young pointer just turned two years old. He located a covey just across the first creek crossing on a hill on the No. 1 course. He also backed his bracemate far to the front at time. He was very pleasing to watch with a snappy tail and a lot of drive.

Train is owned by Scott Griffin from Camden, S. C., and was scouted by Charles Morton.

In the first brace, Caladen's Davinci (Jerry Raynor) made several good casts and was found to the front at time with a covey well located, everything in order at flush and shot. K H Game Train (Griffin) was already listed.

Pointer Broken Halo (Phil Stevenson) was far ahead and gone for a while when handler asked for the retrieval unit. A short time later Halo was found on point to the front with a nice covey well located. High Speed Queen (Mike Hester) was fast and snappy, applying herself well but to no avail.

The third brace was Mohawk Mill Image (Gary Winall) and Marques Armed Robber (Henry), last year's runner-up. Both dogs hunted hard but birds weren't moving this hour.

Fourth brace -- Sandwood Creek (Raynor) in season and Dakota Phantom Sky (Hester) -- was away at 1:33 p.m. behind the barn, temperature was near 70 . Creek was on point at 11 to the right, Raynor unable to flush started to relocate when birds exploded near the dog, everything in order. Sandwood Creek was picked up before the end of the hour due to heat. Mike called point for Sky at 16 but was unable to flush anything and sent the dog on which finished the hour but had no birds.

Mac's Hi Oh Silver (McClurg) and Erin's Full Throttle (Henry) already listed. Away at 2:42 Silver not as distant as bracemate but was the first to locate game, just before Bear Trap area. Everything in good order at flush and the shot. The heat took its toll on Silver and he was leashed at 50.

Foolish Again (Raynor) and Conneaut Creek Roisin Dubh (Stevenson) started at 3:58 towards the new loop area, the twosome fast and snappy. Both dogs were not pleasing their handlers and were picked up before exciting the new loop.

Quickmarksman's Dan (Hester) and Mohawk Mill Trail Warrior (Winall) were away at 8:00 a.m. on the No. 1 course. Warrior turned right towards the No. 2 course but was soon returned by scout Ellen Clements. Warrior pointed at 52 but nothing could be produced. Dan scoured the countryside but quail were not to be found this hour.

Erin's Battle Cry (Raynor) and Marques Big Luck (Henry) were unleashed at 9:10. Battle Cry had an unproductive just before main road crossing on No. 2. Luck was out of pocket at 28, Lefty calling for his retrieval unit. No birds seen this hour.

Merritt's Bear (Calvin Curnutte) pointed a covey very stylishly on the left edge just before the S curve on No. 3, everything in order at flush and shot. As time expired, he was still to the front hunting intensely. Lonetree Rod (Hester) looked good the first part of the hour but wasn't around at pick up.

Mohawk Mill Pirate's Legacy (Winall) and Quickmarksman's Tom Tekoa (Hester) were loosed at 12:30 p.m. on No. 4. Legacy suffered an unproductive at 8 and had a covey at 32, finishing the hour to the front. Tom Tekoa had quite a following in the road gallery. Mike called point at 40 but no birds were seen officially and none was found on the subsequent relocation. He finished the hour far to the front.

Hoffman, N. C., March 18

Judges: Chad Adams and Derek Bonner

NORTH CAROLINA OPEN QUAIL CHAMPIONSHIP [One-Hour Heats] --

15 Pointers, 4 Setters and 1 Irish Setter

Winner--ERIN'S FULL THROTTLE, 1643472, pointer male, by Erin's Stoney River--Erin's Pretty Penny. John & Sue Ivester, owners; Robert (Lefty) Henry, handler.

Runner-Up--K H GAME TRAIN, 1681832, pointer male, by Cole Train--Tallgrass Bella. Scott Griffin, owner and handler.